Shareware Day – December 13th

Описание: What is today? International Shareware Day is celebrated annually on December 13th to honor the concept of shareware—software that is distributed freely for users to try before purchasing. It’s a nod to the early days of personal computing when developers shared their programs widely, often relying on user honesty to pay for full versions. Shareware was a precursor to modern freemium models. Many early shareware programs thrived because of user feedback. It gave small creators a way to reach global audiences without big publishers.

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Computers
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Here’s a curated list of notable shareware programs—classic game hits and still-popular modern utilities:

Classic Shareware Games

These shaped the "try-before-you-buy" model in the 80s and 90s:

Doom – id Software’s iconic first-person shooter was initially released as shareware, letting users play the first episode before purchasing the rest.

Commander Keen – Apogee’s episodic platformer franchise pioneered the free-episode-then-pay model in early PC gaming.

Raptor: Call of the Shadows – A highly praised scrolling shooter with an upgrade system; its shareware release influenced later editions on platforms like Steam.

Captain Comic – Inspired by Super Mario Bros., this shareware platformer from 1988 was influential, especially given its 102 KB size.

Epic Pinball – Epic Megagames’ shareware pinball title included one free table (Android) with additional tables unlocked upon purchase.

Modern Shareware Utilities

These represent contemporary shareware or freemium tools regularly downloaded as trials:

WinRAR – Famous for its perpetual trial model; nags the user while remaining fully functional.

Internet Download Manager (IDM) – Ranked #1 on SnapFiles for speeding up downloads, as shareware with time-limited trial.

DiskDigger – Lightweight file recovery tool with a $14.99 shareware license. [snapfiles.com]
SIW (System Information for Windows) – Shareware tool (around $19.99) offering detailed system diagnostics.

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware – While offering free scanning, full real-time protection is paid—widely recommended.

IObit Malware Fighter – A strong competitor to Malwarebytes; a shareware anti-malware tool.


Other Top Shareware Picks
From SnapFiles’ “Top 100” list:

PlayOn – Streams videos from PC to TV; shareware priced around $39.95. [snapfiles.com]
WYSIWYG Web Builder – A no-code web design tool (~$59.95). [snapfiles.com]
Remote Desktop Manager – Centralizes remote connections; higher-end shareware (~$299.99). [snapfiles.com]

Bonus: Community-Endorsed Shareware Sources

FileForum lists highly-rated utilities like Spybot Anti-Beacon (blocking telemetry, ~$9.99), SoftPerfect Network Protocol Analyzer (~$99), and Total Commander (~$38).

Summary

This selection highlights:

Historically iconic shareware, especially in gaming (Doom, Commander Keen, Raptor).
Still-used utilities and tools that offer free trials or limited features before purchase.
Diverse applications, from download managers to anti-malware and system info tools.

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